Are Hillsborough County Records Public?

Yes. All public agencies in Hillsborough County are expected to preserve records about their official functions and keep those records open to the public for inspection or copying. Per Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes (Florida’s Public Records Law), these public records include papers, documents, maps, letters, photographs, books, tapes, and sound recordings—a record's translation, form, or characteristics does not alter its public status. Examples of public records include Hillsborough County court records, criminal files, property records, vital records, and related documents.

Below are noteworthy provisions of the Florida Public Records Law:

• The right of the people to access public information must not be eroded by the need to automate records.
• The law does not apply to federal entities.
• Requesters need not be residents of Florida or citizens of the United States of America.
• Requesters do not need to state their reason(s) for accessing a record.
• Members of the public can make as many requests for records as they desire.

Florida's Public Records Law complements Chapter 286 of the Florida Statutes (the state’s Sunshine Law), which grants public access to the meetings of public boards and commissions.

What is Exempted Under the Florida Public Records Act?

While Florida prioritizes the public’s right to access government documents, it also recognizes the need to keep certain information confidential to protect individuals, ensure public security, and for other legitimate reasons.

Exemptions under the Florida Public Records Law refer to the legal provisions that specify confidentiality for certain records, including the following:

• Personal notes and drafts
• Specific personal details about firefighters, such as their home addresses, phone numbers, photographs, and their children's schools
• Social security numbers
• Birth certificates and cause of death on death certificates
• Personal identifying information of certain deceased/injured employees or alleged victims of sexual harassment
• Medical records
• Identifying information about undercover law enforcement agents
• Juvenile records
• All criminal intelligence and investigative information received by a criminal justice agency before January 25, 1979

Record custodians are responsible for ensuring that any records exempted from disclosure are not released.

Hillsborough County Public Record Search

To find Hillsborough County public records, requesters can begin by locating the agency responsible for creating or maintaining the desired records. This approach ensures an efficient search process, reducing the risk of delays, misdirected requests, and unnecessary complications.

Per Florida's Public Records Law, public records are kept in the buildings where they are ordinarily used. These buildings, usually the official locations of record custodians, are typically accessible to the public during regular business hours for record inspection or copying. Agencies may also provide other means for accessing records in their possession, such as via fax, email, regular mail, phone, or online. Generally, it is good practice for requesters to peruse an agency’s website or contact the record custodian to verify the recommended methods for public records inquiries.

It is noteworthy that Hillsborough County provides an "At Your Service" resource that assists members of the public in making online requests for public documents. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Requests sent through this platform are reviewed during regular work hours and routed to the appropriate team responsible for releasing the requested information. In addition, At Your Service allows registered users to track the progress of their requests.

After a request is submitted to a Hillsborough County agency, the agency custodian will provide responsive records if legally permissible. If the record contains confidential data, the custodian will furnish the requester a redacted version. If all or part of a request cannot be disclosed, an explanation (with legal reference) will be provided.

Requesters should note the following:

• While the Public Records Law does not mandate that requests be made in writing, sending written requests to agency custodians is advisable for easy tracking and clarity.
• Copies of records are only released to requesters after payment has been made, where applicable.

Find Public Records For Free in Hillsborough County

Public records can be inspected at a Hillsborough County agency at no cost. However, reasonable charges may be incurred by the requester for physical copies or duplication of documents.

Individuals can also look up public records for free on third-party aggregator websites. Patronizing such vendors has its benefits, especially as the user can see or obtain various types of public records from multiple jurisdictions. However, there is no guarantee that records obtained from a third-party site will be up-to-date or accurate. Documents obtained from private databases are also not suitable for official or legal uses.

How to Remove Information From Public Records Free

Except as mandated, individuals are advised not to send their personal information, such as email addresses, to government agencies, as such information may become publicly disclosable. However, if information deemed confidential by a relevant statute is included in a public record, the subject of the record can ask the record custodian to remove such information from public view.

For example, an application can be made to remove sensitive personal information from Hillsborough County Official Records by completing the Clerk of Court's Confidentiality Request Form and submitting it to the following address:

Clerk of the Circuit Court Recording
419 Pierce Street
Tampa, FL 33602
Fax: (813) 276-2114
Email: Recording@hillsclerk.com

Any request made to a public agency should state the statutory basis for the removal. The requester may also include supporting documents that assert their eligibility, like when asking the court to seal or expunge a criminal case.

Who Can Access Hillsborough County Public Records in Florida?

Florida’s public records law is often considered one of the most open and robust in the country, granting broad access and no residency restrictions to anyone requesting a public document in Hillsborough County. "Any person" can be construed to mean natural persons, organizations, firms, associations, and other entities. However, records given a confidential status can only be accessed by parties authorized by law.

What Happens if I Am Refused a Public Records Request?

If a requester is unjustly denied access to a public record in Hillsborough County, they can enforce their right to obtain the record using any of these three methods:

• Seek mediation through the Office of the Attorney General's Open Government Mediation Program.
• File a complaint with the local state attorney's office.
• File a lawsuit in court.

It is important to note that while government agencies can deny public records requests because of an exemption to the Florida Public Records Law or any other applicable law, requests can also be rejected if made to the wrong agency or because of unspecific or unclear information.